Elastic-fluid turbine.



S. Z. DE FERRANTI.

BLASTIC FLUID TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1912.

- Patented De@.30,1913. y

S. Z. DE FERRANTI.

ELASTIG FLUID TURBINB. APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1912.

Patented Deo. 30,1913Q-V S. Z. DE FERR'ANTL BLASTIG FLUID TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1912.

Patmed 1360.30, 1913.

MEETS-SHEET s.

S. Z. DE PERRANTI.

Patented De@.'3o,1913.

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S. Z. DE FERRANTI.

ELASTIC FLUID TURBINE.

MPL10-ANON FILED MAY4, 1912.

Patna Dec. 3o, 1913.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

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BLASTIG FLUID TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAM, 1912.

' Patented D60. 30, 1913.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

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ELASTIC-FLUID TUBBINE;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 30, 1913.

Application led May 4, 1912. Serial No. 695,254.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, SEBASTIAN ZIANI nn FERRANTI, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and residing at Grindleford Bridge, in the county of Derby, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Elastic-FluidTurbines, of which the following is a specification. y

This invention relates to elitstic fluid turbines and thouglrnot restricted thereto is especially applicable to those of the pres-l sure-fiow type. To obtain the highest economy with such turbines the blade clearances, as is well understood, should be reduced to the lowest possible extent, and in order to secure this result in practice accuracy of workmanship in the first place and substantial maintenance of form in working notwithstanding changes of temperature are essential. The rotor member of the turbine chiefly on account of lits complete symmetry of form and partly also on account of the materials of which it is commonly constructed now fulfils thenecessary conditions with considerable closeness but the cast-iron casing or stator has often been complicated and unsymmetr'ical in forni owing to its heavy flanges, 'numerous ribs, steam and exhaust connections, feet and so forth, the consequence being that when heated up, the easing expanded irregularly lin relation to the more simply constructed rotor and. in addition generally became permanently distorted in course of time. In order to prevent the running and standing parts coming into contact, therefore, the clearances had to be increased considerably beyond what would, apart from such irregular and didercntial expansion, be sufficient for safe working.

To overcome these difficulties turbines have been proposed in which a synn'net-rical blade-carrying stator is inclosed within an outer casing and the object of the present invention is to improve such constructions in order that they may more nearly meet practical requirements. With this object the separation of the blade-carrying stator from the dutcr casing is carried a stage farther,

the stator instead of being as heretoforev influenced by irregular expansion of the more; or less cylindrical casing, being clear ther .bf and supported ,-by members which do n t share in the inevitable distortions of v such' casing.

l To attain the best results as regards maintenance of form with change of temperature in the stator itself, the latter should be as simple and symmetrical in construction as a rotor drum with -a complete absence of unsymmetrical projections of any kind, while the stresses under which it works should also be symmetrically distributed,

care being therefore taken to avoid methods f of blade `attachment which stress the stator irregularly, uneven loading due to the action of the Working fluid on the blades or to other causes and all other stresses due to want of symmetry.

Other improvements which form part of the present invention are set forth specifically in the claims appendant hereto.

Vith the constructions now proposed the blade-carrying stator expands freely and symmetrically and is entirely uninfluenced vby distortions of the outer` casing.

To sum up, the fundamental principle on which the present invention is based consists in providing entirely separate organs to fulfil respectively the diderent functions now performed by the casing or stator alone so that the blade-carrying stator according to the present invention is relieved of all those influences tending to cause distortion.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which form part/of the specification: Figure 1 shows a sectional elevation of one form 'of turbine according to the present invention, Fig. lu being a detail, to a larger scale of the diaphragm packing; Fig. 9. shows an elevation of the turbine of Fig. 1, Fig. Q being a developed cross-section on either o-f the lines A-B showing a few of the heat-insulating ribs; Fig. 3 shows an end elevation of the bearing at the high pressure end looking in the direction of the arrow X in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 an lend elevation of thc same end of the turbine cas-- a developed view of a part of the same spi# deras seen from above 'in Fig. l, to 'showiinclinaztion of main arms; Fig. 8 shows a .quadrant m end view'of a modified form of stator construction, Fig. 9 being a correspending,r side view; Fig. 10 shows an end view of a modified form of spider, Fig. 11 being a corresponding side view; F ig. 12 shows a diagrammatfc view of a turbine of the type shown in Fig. 1 in relation to a superheating system; Fig. 13 shows a diagram of a modified form, while finally Fig. 1st shows a diagrammatic view of another modification.

Corresponding parts of the different fig ures are denoted by the same reference symbols.

The invention will be first described by way ofexample applied to a horizontal drum turbine in whichthe steam after initial snperheating is partly expanded in the turbine and passed into a reheater before completing its expansion. According to one form of such an application (see F 1. to 7), the rotor member is built up of drums. a, a, carrying` blades, L, a few only of which are shown, the drums being mounted on disks, c, c, in anysuitable manner; in the example shown three disks are used, those at thel ends being; integral respectively with the rotor shafts, d1, The shaft, (Z1, at the high pressure end is carried in hearings, c, the latter bearing and the thrustblock, f, being mounted in a common housing, Iz, slidable longitudinally on its pedestal, z'. The thrust-block, f, may be of any convenient constructiony admitting of no substantial end movement between the shaft` d1, and the slidable housing, 71, The shaft, (Z2, at the low pressure end is carried in bearings, 7c, inclosed within a hous ing, 1n, which in this case is fixed to its pedestal, n, a certain amount of end play heing provided between this shaft and its bearings. The stator member consists of two drums, 0, 0, corresponding` to the rotor drums and carrying' blades, /r' some of which. are indicated in Fig. 1 the two drums are connected by a member, s, provided with symmetrically disposed apertures, 251, t2, through which the steam passes as herein.- after described, the member, s, 'carrying a diaphragm, u, packed in any suitable manner, e. g., by the ring of packing, o, to prevent passage of steam from one side of the diaphragm to the other. The stator drums themselves accordingl to the form shown (see Fig. 5) are built in quadrants, 01, 01, so that expansion and contraction may be as symmetrical as possible, each quadrant having fixed to it along each longitudinal edge, a flange, to, by means of which it is bolted to the adjacent quadrants.

According to a modified form, (See Figs. 8 and 9) the stator may consist ot quadrants of thin plate, :0, carrying` the blades, the structure being,` sti'ffened at intervals by circumferential girders, e, riveted in place as shown an'd immersed in the working fluidi ,co-acting with one or l/Vith the exception of those on which bear the piston-rings to be hereinafter described the `grdera-i may be provided with apertures 2, as shown.

The stator drums, 0, o, are attached to and carried by the main end castings, 3 and L1, at the high pressure and low pressure ends respectively, the connection at the high pressure end beingmade by way ot' the member, 5, provided with steam passages, (i, symmetrically arranged' (see Fig. 5a) and at the low vressure end by way of the spider, T. As seen in Figs. (3 and 7, the arms, S, of the spider are angled to agree more or lesswith the direction of the steam as it issues from the low pressurel blades.

itccordinef to a modified torni (see Figs. 10 and 11) the spider may be c n|structed of radial spokes, t), screwed at their Iinner ends into a rino' 10, which is supported onthe i'x end casting', 1-, and at their vouter ends se- Where cured to the stator drum as shown. such a bicycle-wheel construction is used at both ends` the spokes may be arranged more or less tangential in order the better to take up the reactive torque on the stator or any other means mav be employed for securing rigidity in this connection.

The blade-carrying stator as described is surrounded by an external casing, 11, of cylindrical or other convenient shape, also carried bythe end castings, 3 and 4, the casing being conveniently built up of plates, angles, channels and soforth riveted together and carrying the pipe connections, t2, 13 and 14; other passages through the easing are indicated at 15 and 16. The end portions may be of cast steel or (lished steel plate and should be stift enough to be substantially unaffected by distortions ot' the casing, 11. The space between the stator and the casing' thus forms an annulus through which steam passes as hereinafter described. Vhere necessary special, diaphragms' are provided in this annulus and in order to allow for differential expansion between casing' and stator both in the radial and longitudinal directions each of such diaphragms may consist of .a member, 1T. projecting inwardly from the casing', and

more solid (continuous) lusten-rings, 18, inserted yieldably in a grooved carrier, 19, secured to the bladecarrying stator. A similar plston-riug is also shown on the member, s, bearing directly against part of the casing, 11.

To prevent leakage of steam or air along the rotor shafts where they pass out of the casing, suitable packings, 20, are provided, those shown by Way of example beingr formed of carbon segments in the manner described in my English patent specification No. 5169 of 1910. As explained therein for purposes of adjustment the eo-acting' sury faces of the packing and member packed may be slightl conic'aland' inthe turbine here illustrate v the vp'ackin'gs,"20, for the shaft and 21 t rthe rotor drum are so mounted that by rotation of the Ascrewed s" sleeve, 22,V their .longitudinal position and zconsequently their clearance can be adjusted." ii'llle paekmgs, 21, shown for the dummy pis-r or steam-'excluder, 2l, in this case are Y 1'"1arrange d not only within the 'rotor itself l so within a part of it carryingblades,

auch 'a disposition of parts leading to a considerable reduction 1n the length of the turbine. In the case shown, where the turbine is supposed to be driving a dynamo," the dummy, 2l, excludes 'steam from a considerable area of the rotorand so lessens the total thrust, the balance being taken by the thrust block. If the Vturbine on Vthe other 2o hand drives a screw propeller, ,the net thrust ld u'e tot-he .pressures on therunnin blades and on' the high-pressure'end of the rotor shell outsidethe dummy.. packing are arranged to balance or nearly balance the propeller thrust. A thrust block should Agen- A erall be provided in addition to take up.

yany alance of thrust due to 'diii'erent condi- `tions of working and so forth.

y The lend castings, 3 and lL,.carrying the 80 stator, o,- and the casing, 1.1, are sup orted on the housings, IL, and m, in a s'pecia man` ner, designed to .allow the heated turbine parts to expand freely in a radial direction in relation to the cooled bearing parts, while in-` suring at .the same time that stator and rotor remain co-axial. Thus, referring particu- -larly to Figs.- 2 to-ll, the end castings, 3 and V 4` have each formed on them a ring, 23, on

the inside of-which at about the level of "40 the axis are two lugs, 24, (actually, the end castings, casing and stator are constructed -in halvesaccording to-the usual practice and jointed ou a horizontal. plane through the axis, the lugs, '24, being cast on the lower tfh'alf of the ring, 23, and buttressedl by the f'llbutments, 25, on the upper halt; to avoid 'undue-complexity of language, however, this horizontal joint in certain parts of the present description is ignored). T he lugs,-24,

rest on brackets. 26, cast ou the outside ofl the lower half of the housings, h and m, re.-

s cctiycly, and are held down by other dlugs,

` 2 0n' the upper half of thc housing. The brackets, -26, are provided with strips, 28, arranged -transversely with regardjto the i turbine so as to prevent longitudinal movement of the lugs, 24, supported by them while allowing radial movement. `(See also AFig."'1.) Moreover, a key, 29, secured vto .60 the. housing, It, atits lowest part, butts 'against the bottom of a corresponding recess or keyway, 30, formed on the -end castings,

key and kcyway having vertical sides allowrelative radialfnovement. The keys,

it lugsand so forth form a system of interact- -veuient manner. The facing strips, 31, also for example, in my English atent specificastructed in the .manner and with the precautions ab9ve` described, the blade-carrying ing guides which act to maintain the proper coaxial position of stator and rotor. As regards provision for longitudinal expansion and contraction of the turbine parts, `the housing, h, of the main bearing at the hi h pressure end, asi-described above,

-is slidab y mounted yonits pedestal and is ilshed to the left on expansion of the turine stator and casing taking place by the action 'of the facing strips, 31, on the ring, 75 23, butting against the turned face, '3 2, on the housing, 11,.',The thrustof the. turbine `is arranged to act toward the right in Fig.

1 so as. always to maintain the butting surfaces in contact during work. so

To providefor the return of the bearing to the right as' the turbine cools down after running, bolts, 33, screwed into the lugs, -2 'l, on 'the ring, 23,'pass through the enlarged part' of the housing, rh, to which the 85 brackets, 26,'are cast, and are arranged with their heads, 34,' in operative relationship to suitablefacings,35. Similar bolts,33, are provided at the low pressure end. These A bolts and thestrips, 28, on the brackets, 26,' 90 thus assist one another.

(In orderf-to minimize-heat transmission l i from the heated turbine parts to the cooled.

bearings, the rings, 23, at each endA of the turbi ne,'are secured to the body of' the reg5 spective end castings, 3 and 4, by a. number of spaced ribs, 36 (see Figs. 2 and 2a) which may be conveniently formed b y drilling out theintervcning metal or in any other conassist in preventing transmission of heat to the bearing.

In order to secure the full benefits of the turbine structure above described, it is very desirable that the symmetrical stator'should 105 'be symmetrically stressed at different temperaturesv so asthe better to--maintain-its shape. If the blades arc calkcd iu place, this' condition is only attained accidentally or under very speci al circumstances, the stresses due to calking in nearly. every case being irregular and varying with the teu'iperature, Forthese reasons-I prefer to weld the blades in place electrically, in'th'e manner described,

-arev similar and symmetrically' distributed around the circumference of the stator. For the same reasons, the blades are illso'l preferably welded to the rotor.

f It will be seen 'that with .a turbine con-l stator, o, of lsimple symmetrical construction and supported 1nL the manner vdescribed is free from the usual ds'tortional yStresses to which thestator parts of turbines'as at prcs` ent construgted aresubjcted and therefore 1.80

in.;r tor relative radial movements of these parts, while any iuall dili`erence in expan sion longitudinally is taken up particularly by the elasticity otl the spider.

'lhe method ot mounting the stator on the. main bearings moreover, insurestlie mainteua'nce of the required co-axial relation between stator and rotor while freely allowing the turnier to expand or contract radially' and .finally the proper longitudinal relation ot'. stator and rotor is secured at different, temperatures byanchoringl one end of the stator parts to the fixed bearing and the other end to the slidable bearing and defin-V ing the -lougritudinal position of the. 'rotor iu relation to tht,` slidable hearing by means of the thrust block or equivalent; device.

The. particular turbine described by way ot' exainpleis as stated above of the, type' usinglf .=1ipe-'ilieated steam with interstage relieatiug. ',llius referring to the diagram# iuatiei-'iew ot sueh a. system shown in Fig. 12, boiler elements, 37, reheater` 38, and sus )Vieilieater` 39, are arranged to be. hea-ted in` any convenient manner.

Steam from the boiler passes by way of the pipe, llO. to the superlieater aud thencel through pipe` .41. controlled by-a valve. 42, to the connection. l2, on the uiaiu turbine easing. 11. 'ithiii the casinar the steai'u surrounds the first section of thc stator. o. and passes. through the ducts, (i. to the turbine bladiug'. alternatirely. or in addition. steam may be liv-passed through the pipe, 43. Controlled by a valve. 44. to the connection. 13. iu which ease it passes to the bladin q through' the symmet.ricall \r arranged duets. 45 (see Fig. :'ial. lla-ving issued from the high pressure bladiug'. the steam passing: through the symuiitricall)y disposed aper-' tures. #1. enters the anunlus. 1G'. between stator and outside casing and .continues its course through the 'conocilion 14-` to the reheater.- 3S. After relieatiii.f1,'tlie steam enters the low pressure stage of the turbine through the connection. 15. and passes to the blades through the syniuietrically, disposed apertures. 1?.' on issuing troni thil blades, the expanded steam tinallit escapes between the arms. 3. ofthe spider to the exhaust. 16.

Ti' the constructioiuil features according' to the present. invention are applied to an ordinary (nen-relientiue'l reaction turbine. the steam may lie-lcd into the aunulus lietween the stator and casing (sce Fig. 13) at; the end of the liigi'h pressure stage as indicated at. 47, and pass thence to the inlet of the. high pressure. blinding; by dispensing;r with the apertures, t and te, and also with is also-applicable in certain thel diaphragm, u, thesteanil then? passes completely through the high and low pressure blading to the 'exliaustas before; Or according to another torintsee Fig. 14),'

steam is supplied to the stator at theeenter of its length through a number'otsymnietricall arranged duets, 4S, and' passesaxially in" both 'directions through the spiders to the annular space :betweenf the stator drum and the outer casing whence it exhausts through the opening, 49. -`in the example-shown, a.- part of the aunularfspaee referred to is sluit, olfby the plates^,'5o,' 5l, to forni a'liigh pressure steam belt. (strengthened as required'by the bolts, 52) 4to distribute steam to the duets, 4S.' The side plates, ,50, bear internallyl against piston rings` as above described movable radially in grooves formed in the ap'ertured casting, 53, securing together 'the two parts of the blade-carrying statoi` drum. IThe iiiyent'on eases to turbines used as compressors. i

Although I have described special eamples of my invention in eonsiilerable detail, lr do not intend thereby 'to restrict `its scope as-itl will be evident-v that the underlying principles explained eouldlie 4embodied Vin a varietyodllierent structural forms. Y

aol

Having new described in v invention what '95 I claim as new and desire to secure by. Let- Y ters Patent is:-- l

' 1. Tn combination in a turbine, ,a rotor :mdf bearings for the saine at. each end; `an outer easiug-surrounding said rotor iauda bladecarrying stator .inclosedinsaidmasing and supported independently thereof kat eaeh end at. points 'adjoini ug sa' id bearings. f

2. ny combination in atnrbine, a rotor and bearings therefor at each end; a bladecarrying stator supported at.' each end by said bearings, and au' outer casing surrounding salti stator.

3. Tn combination inv a turbine. ay rotor; bearings therefor ateaeli end iiblade-ca'i-'' ryiug stator and an outer casing separate" from said bearings and means slidabler" inY relation to one another 'for maintaining said .stator at cach end in co-axial relation wit-li said rotor. y y n 4. Tn combination in a turbine, a rotor; and bearings therefor at each end: a bladecarrying stator; an outer casing; a` support ingr member common to said stator and casing and means for supporting said common supporting member. l

. 5. Tn combination in a turbine; a lrotor and. means for earrvingir the saule at each. end: a vblade-eal'iyiug stator; an `outer cas?. ing: a supporting member.couuuon to Isaid stator and easing; and means for support-A ingrsaid eoiiimou supporting meinlwi-said means including said rotor-carrying means.

('i. Tn combination in a turbine, a .rotor and hearings therefor at eacli`end; a blade-"13o",

carrying stator and an outer casing separate from said bearings; together With means for maintainmg said stator and casing in co-axial relation with said rotor.

7. In combination in a turbine, a rotor; a blade-carrying stator; an outer casing; a resilient connection between said casing and stator to permit diiferential expansion and means for maintaining said stator inY coaxial relation with said rotor.

8. In' combination in a turbine, a roto-r; a blade-carrying stator; an outer casing' and a spider member with resilient arms connecting said casing and stator.

9. In combination, a turbine rotor; a

blade-carrying stator; a casing surrounding said stator and a spider support for said stator at its exhaust end, said spider having arms angled to agree substantially With the direction of the exhaust fluid flowing between them.

10. In combination in a turbine, a rotor; a blade-carrying stator; an outer casing; a supporting member common to said stator f and casing, said member including an andirectly to said end walls.

13. In combination in a turbine, a rotor subject to axial thrust; a' blade-carrying stator; stationary7 thrust-receiving means at one end of said stator; slide-bly mounted means at the other end of said stator for transmitting axial thrust on said rotor through said stator to said thrust-receiving means.

14. In combination, a turbine rotor; a blade-carrying stator; separate means for supporting said stator at the ends, said stator and said supporting means having mutually butting thrust transmitting elements together with means other than said thrust-transmitting elements for transmitting a pull between said stator and said sup porting means.

15. In combination, a turbine rotor; a bladecarrying stator; separate meansI for supporting said stator; means for maintaining co-amal said rotor and stator while allowing relative radial expansion together with 'means other than 'said maintaining means for transmitting a pull between said stator and said supporting means.

16. In combination, a turbine rotor; a blade-carrying stator; a casing surrounding said stator; together with fluid-tight partitions for dividing the space between said stator and casinginto belts or annuli, said Apartitions comprising yieldable members permitting both radial and longitudinal rela- I tive displacement of said stator' and casing.

17. In combination, a turbine rotor; a blade-carrying stator; a casing surrounding said stator; together with partitions formed of rigid members movable in Huid-tight re-v lationA Afor dividing the spaces between said stator and casing into belts or annuli.

18. In combination, a turbine rotor shell; a shaft onwhich said shell is mounted; a casing' having a part disposed within said shell, and packing means between said shell and said casing.

19. In combination, a turbine rotor shell having a blade-carrying portion; a shaft on which said shell is mounted; a casing havingv a part disposed within the blade-carrying portion of said shell, and packing means between said blade-carrying portion and said casing part.

20. In combination, a turbine rotor shell; a shaft on which said shell is mounted; a casing having a part disposed within said shell and packing means both between said casing part and said shell and between said casing part and said shaft.

21. In'combination, a turbine'rotor shell having a blade-carrying portion; a shaft on which said shell is mounted; a casing having a part disposed within said blade-carrying portion and packing means both between said casing part and said blade-carrying portion and between said casing 'and said shaft.

22. In combination, a turbine roto-r; a

blade-carrying stator; a casing surrounding said stator; means for dividing the space between said stator and casing into belts or annali; duct means for leading Working fiuid from one of said belts to another and means for heating said fluid during its passage through said duct means. A

23. In combination in a turbine', ad bladed rotor and a bladed stator operative-lil disposed to form a passage-way for the working Huid; partition means for dividing said passageway into stages; a casing surround ing said stator; duct means for leading Working fiuid from one stage to another, said means including space between said stator and casing together with means for heating said iuid during its passage through said duct means. I

24. In combination in a turbine, a bladed rotor and a bladed statoroperatively disposed to form a passage-Way for the working fluid; partition rmeans for dividing said passage-way into stages, a casing surroundmg said stator; duct means for eading working fluid from one stage to anothei-,said means including space between said stator and Casing together with means disposed outside said casingfor heating said fluid during its passage through said duct means.

25. In combination in a turbine; a bladed rotor and a bladed stator operatively disposed to forni a passage-way for the working fluid; partition means for dividing said passage-way into stages; a casing surrounding` said stator; partition means for dividing the space between said casing' and stator into belts or annuli; duct means for leading working Huid from one stage to another, said means including' apertures through said stator on each side of said first-mentioned partitie@meansud including also a belt or annulus on leinen side of said second-mentioned partition means, together with means for heatin said fluid during its passage through said duct means. l l

26. In combination in a turbine,` bladecarrying rotor and stator members and an outer casinginclosing said members, said stator member and outer casing being supported independently of each other at the ends, at least said stator member having blades secured thereto as by Welding to avoid irregular stress and so insure maintenance ofshape4 with change: of temperature.

27. In combination in a turbine, bladecarrying rotor and stator members, and means for maintaining the shape of the leakage annuli at the ends of said blades irrespective of temperature changes, said means "including an outer casing inclosing said members, said outer casing and' said stator member being supported independently of each other at the ends.

2S. In co-mbinationin a turbine, a shaft; a rotor and bearings therefor; a symmetrical blade-carrying stator supported at both ends; means for holding the symmetrical stator concentric in relation to said shaft, together with an unsymmetrical outer casing in radially-free Huid-tight relation to said symmetrical stator.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

SEBASTIAN ZIANI DE FERRANTL Witnesses: Y,

ALBERT HALL, ViLLIAM DUNCAN DAVIDSONA 

